The reason referendums fail is because politicians get ahead of the
population and their backers are so pumped up with their own importance
and their superiority over the unwashed pops that everyone switches off.
However politically correctness is so pervasive especially in the schools
that it may well succeed because aboriginals are black.
So for racial reasons it may succeed, hmmm is there a contradiction there ?

I can remember about three Referendums. The way the Questions were phrased made it extremely hard to know whether you were voting for or against Motion.

The Referendums must only be one short sentence, such as;

Allow Aboriginal recognition in the Constitution. Yes/No
Allow Boat people into Australia. Yes/no
Allow Abortions. Yes/no
Allow Terrorists to leave Australia. Yes/No
Allow Gay Marriage. Yes/No

w, come on JB, that would let the government word it how they liked !

Foxy,

"Since Federation in 1901 only eight out of 44 proposals
to amend the Constitution have been approved"

So what?

Referenda cannot fail because by their very nature they are designed to ascertain the will of the people, this they always do.

Ergo they cannot fail.

Is Mise: Referenda cannot fail because by their very nature they are designed to ascertain the will of the people, this they always do.

I both agree & disagree, more on the agree side though. How the Question is put is the big problem. A large confusing paragraph designed to elicit a "No" vote ensures Politicians get their way. Take the last Republic Referendum. Most people wanted to vote for the President. The Politicians wanted to pick the President from among their ranks & they worded it that way. That's why the Referendum failed.

If they would have asked;

Do Australians want a Republic or a Monarchy? Republic/Monarchy

Should the Politicians pick the President or the People? Politicians/People

I should imagine the result would have been much different.

Politicians design the Question to Succeed or Fail depending on what "they" want.

Dear Is Mise,

The Australian Constitution can be changed only
by a law passed by the Commonwealth Parliament and
approved by a majority of voters across Australia and
in the majority of states. This process is called a
Referendum. Since Federation in 1901 only eight out of
the 44 proposals to amend the Constitution have been
approved by the majority of voters across Australia
and in the majority of states. Including the last one
on becoming a Republic - which many voters said no to
because of its wording.

If you don't believe this you can contact:
the - Attorney General's Department in Canberra.